CB goes about a mile or two on a good day. You could almost yell farther in the woods. VHF would work much better. I don't know the laws for that in Canada. You might look into getting an amateur radio license. That will open up lots of options for communicating.
I guess I will stick with my carrier pigeons! Thanks for the info.
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A person can buy a used portable hand held VHF with most/all of the used channels pre-programmed in. Anyone can have and use one of these. But..they are mucho $$, even used. That was the 4-500 dollars I was referring to earlier.
Unless a person was spending a LOT of time on logging and mining roads, there isn`t any need to spend those bux. If you are on those roads, run with your lights on, pay attention to your rearview too, and if you see something coming at ya, pull off with your flashers on. Two things will happen...one of them, is that they`ll be on the radio advising that there`s a tourist on the road, location and direction of travel. the other is that you will be seen as road-smart. Common sense and courtesy will take care of the whole shebang.
Gary Haupt
I have a Blog..about stuff, some of which is RV'ing.
afraid of bears wrote: The interesting language from the truckers is on the LAD channels now. VHF/UHF? It's late and I can't remember which one or what the frequencies are. I listen in to know what the roads are like and where the county mounties are. I also get to learn new words sometimes.
Haven't seen a CB in a loooong time. I wouldn't invest in one. JMHO
LADD 1 is 154.100. It is mostly used now, especially north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and out to Tofino. Coming out this way, most truckers call on Kennedy Hill as the road narrows to the point they take up both lanes coming or going. I usually stop and wait for the rigs to clear if I hear them on the hill. I also call out on that hill as well in case a big rig is coming.
CB's are not really used much anymore. I have all 40 channels in the scanner, but mostly I get skip from parts of the US. They can be useful for chatting between vehicles in a convoy, but that's about it.
The comment made about getting your ham ticket, yes that would work. Case in point, I answered a call for help on our road today - was a car fire just west of Sutton's Pass, and a a traveling ham put out the call for help (no cell service in that area). I answered him, got some details, and phoned 911 to get that ball rolling.
As to being on the logging/mining roads, I usually recommend at least a tunable VHF receiver with you (most scanners allow direct frequency entry). When you get onto a particular road, the active radio frequency for that road should be posted on a sign, along with some instructions for call outs and such. Even if you don't know the road, watch for the mile markers, and what direction the miles are going, and you will soon figure out your direction of travel as well as that of the trucks.
I have a CB in every vehicle when traveling. I just bought a couple more in the last month. They are still used by truckers in the lower 48 all the time. Nearly every truck on the highway has one. I use them for many different uses. They are great if you are worried about police speed traps as truckers always talk about them. They are invaluable when pulling large trailers knowing which lanes of traffic are open ahead so you can adjust ahead of time. Mine have NOAA weather channels that I really like to tune into for local weather conditions.
Not sure where people are getting the info about them being out of style these days. It is still a huge business in the trucking industry, at least in the states. We run a semi and it's always on.
I did notice, though, as I went further north, they are used less. I couldn't get a trucker to answer ever in Alaska. I used it some in Canada along the AK highway. Problem there is trucks are few and far between.
CBs are perfect when traveling in a group. Puchase price is low, they don't run on batteries so no dead batteries, and they have decent range. I have walkie talkies that claim 15 or 20 mile range- false advertising. My CBs do much better. If you are worried about range, go to a truck stop CB shop and have your CB peaked and tuned. That will extend their range by turbo charging them.
As far as trucker language and noise, find a quiet channel and tune to it. Works awesome. The key to them is to use a good quality antenna. I use magnetic antennas called "Lil Wil" by Wilson. They work great.
Anyway, to your original question about BC, the guys up there know best. Just didn't want everyone to get the idea that CBs are not used anywhere anymore because they are.
* This post was
edited 05/19/12 03:06am by DodgeVoltage *
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DodgeVoltage wrote: I have a CB in every vehicle when traveling. I just bought a couple more in the last month. They are still used by truckers in the lower 48 all the time. Nearly every truck on the highway has one. I use them for many different uses. They are great if you are worried about police speed traps as truckers always talk about them. They are invaluable when pulling large trailers knowing which lanes of traffic are open ahead so you can adjust ahead of time. Mine have NOAA weather channels that I really like to tune into for local weather conditions.
I have one in my truck too. It's on whenever the other radios are on, but it defaults to channel 9 and I rarely bother to change it. I think mine does the NOAA channels as well, but I can tune those (or Environment Canada stuff here in Canada) on my ham radio just as quickly and easily.
I just recently finished a radio install in the DW's van. She has the same CB I do but she told me not to bother installing it as we don't use them much. We are more likely found on VHF.
Quote:
Not sure where people are getting the info about them being out of style these days. It is still a huge business in the trucking industry, at least in the states. We run a semi and it's always on.
Depends on where you are. Here in BC, at least on Vancouver Island, they are way out of style now. ALL the truckers use VHF instead. Cleaner signal, better range, no skip, etc.
Quote:
I did notice, though, as I went further north, they are used less. I couldn't get a trucker to answer ever in Alaska. I used it some in Canada along the AK highway. Problem there is trucks are few and far between.
I do believe they are still used in Alberta to some extent. Don't know, haven't been in that province in 16 years.
Quote:
CBs are perfect when traveling in a group. Puchase price is low, they don't run on batteries so no dead batteries, and they have decent range. I have walkie talkies that claim 15 or 20 mile range- false advertising. My CBs do much better. If you are worried about range, go to a truck stop CB shop and have your CB peaked and tuned. That will extend their range by turbo charging them.
Yes, CB's do have their uses. I used to be part of a group that did bunny hunts on the CB radio (this is a game of skill and wits using your car and your radio, not actually hunting the cute little buggers).
And you don't "turbo charge" an antenna. The tuning process matches the length of the whip to the wavelength of the frequency or frequencies in use. In the CB world, that's a rather large compromise, as a true 1/4-wave is 9 ft long! . But, a properly tuned antenna will give you better range, both transmit and receive, than a bad antenna. Not to mention, your radio will like you better.
Quote:
As far as trucker language and noise, find a quiet channel and tune to it. Works awesome. The key to them is to use a good quality antenna. I use magnetic antennas called "Lil Wil" by Wilson. They work great.
Even the VHF channels I listen to for truckers has the foul language on occasion. Not as much, but it's there. And I'd be careful about using magnetic mount antennas. They are at best a temporary solution for a radio. Or for a temporary installation. Your best bet is a properly mounted and tuned antenna. Much better performance.
Quote:
Anyway, to your original question about BC, the guys up there know best. Just didn't want everyone to get the idea that CBs are not used anywhere anymore because they are.
You are correct. But, here on Vancouver Island, they are rarely heard now. I think the pleasure craft community (sport fishermen) still use them for chatting on, but I rarely hear any road-based vehicles using them. And I can't remember the last time I talked to another vehicle using one either, it's been that long. Which is to bad, really, as CB's do make for decent short-range communications devices.
DodgeVoltage wrote: I have a CB in every vehicle when traveling. I just bought a couple more in the last month. They are still used by truckers in the lower 48 all the time. Nearly every truck on the highway has one. I use them for many different uses. They are great if you are worried about police speed traps as truckers always talk about them. They are invaluable when pulling large trailers knowing which lanes of traffic are open ahead so you can adjust ahead of time. Mine have NOAA weather channels that I really like to tune into for local weather conditions.
I have one in my truck too. It's on whenever the other radios are on, but it defaults to channel 9 and I rarely bother to change it. I think mine does the NOAA channels as well, but I can tune those (or Environment Canada stuff here in Canada) on my ham radio just as quickly and easily.
I just recently finished a radio install in the DW's van. She has the same CB I do but she told me not to bother installing it as we don't use them much. We are more likely found on VHF.
Quote:
Not sure where people are getting the info about them being out of style these days. It is still a huge business in the trucking industry, at least in the states. We run a semi and it's always on.
Depends on where you are. Here in BC, at least on Vancouver Island, they are way out of style now. ALL the truckers use VHF instead. Cleaner signal, better range, no skip, etc.
Quote:
I did notice, though, as I went further north, they are used less. I couldn't get a trucker to answer ever in Alaska. I used it some in Canada along the AK highway. Problem there is trucks are few and far between.
I do believe they are still used in Alberta to some extent. Don't know, haven't been in that province in 16 years.
Quote:
CBs are perfect when traveling in a group. Puchase price is low, they don't run on batteries so no dead batteries, and they have decent range. I have walkie talkies that claim 15 or 20 mile range- false advertising. My CBs do much better. If you are worried about range, go to a truck stop CB shop and have your CB peaked and tuned. That will extend their range by turbo charging them.
Yes, CB's do have their uses. I used to be part of a group that did bunny hunts on the CB radio (this is a game of skill and wits using your car and your radio, not actually hunting the cute little buggers).
And you don't "turbo charge" an antenna. The tuning process matches the length of the whip to the wavelength of the frequency or frequencies in use. In the CB world, that's a rather large compromise, as a true 1/4-wave is 9 ft long! . But, a properly tuned antenna will give you better range, both transmit and receive, than a bad antenna. Not to mention, your radio will like you better.
Quote:
As far as trucker language and noise, find a quiet channel and tune to it. Works awesome. The key to them is to use a good quality antenna. I use magnetic antennas called "Lil Wil" by Wilson. They work great.
Even the VHF channels I listen to for truckers has the foul language on occasion. Not as much, but it's there. And I'd be careful about using magnetic mount antennas. They are at best a temporary solution for a radio. Or for a temporary installation. Your best bet is a properly mounted and tuned antenna. Much better performance.
Quote:
Anyway, to your original question about BC, the guys up there know best. Just didn't want everyone to get the idea that CBs are not used anywhere anymore because they are.
You are correct. But, here on Vancouver Island, they are rarely heard now. I think the pleasure craft community (sport fishermen) still use them for chatting on, but I rarely hear any road-based vehicles using them. And I can't remember the last time I talked to another vehicle using one either, it's been that long. Which is to bad, really, as CB's do make for decent short-range communications devices.
Cheers!
Mike
Mike, you are correct about permanent mount antennas. Mine have always been permanently mounted until now. Didn't feel like drilling holes this time, so magnetics work fine for me now
As far as peaking and tuning, they "turbo charge", so to speak, by going in and maxing your power output (peaking) and adjusting your antennas and radio to get the best range as possible (tuning). They always take my radios cover off and make fine tuning adjustments to the guts of it. It always increases my range and clarity after it has been done. Lately thought, I have been using Walmart Cobra radios as is and they have been sufficient for caravaning. I think peaking and tuning shortens the life of the radio.
You won't hear much out of channel 9 as it is supposed to be the emergency channel. No one uses it though. 19 is the standard.
CB's are still in use in the expansive Senator Wash BLM camping area near the Yuma Proving Grounds. Quite a few older RV'ers stay there during the winter, and CB's are the way to find things out, plus there is a check-in at 7 each morning, if you're missing it someone will come looking for you. We never used ours though.
VHF came in handy while in Mazatlan one year. Going north we took the libre near Escuinapa, while our friend took the couta. The campground we were to meet had been closed, so we booked into another in Mazatlan and began calling them and we did get together within an hour.
FRs came in handy one day on a windy mountain road in Mexico in the company of another car who got past a slow truck before we did. They radioed back when there was no oncoming traffic and we passed the truck without being able to see if traffic was in our way.
Quote: If you are worried about range, go to a truck stop CB shop and have your CB peaked and tuned. That will extend their range by turbo charging them.
Perhaps a little radio theory 101 can clarify a few things regarding "peaking and tuning" a CB (or any radio) and antenna -- I'll try not to get too technical.
Peaking and tuning a CB radio will rarely result in an increase of more than 1 watt in power increase unless the radio comes from the factory way out of tune. Since you're usually starting with something like 4 watts output, increasing it to 5 watts is slightly less than a 1 decibel (dB) gain, which is imperceptible under normal conditions. An increase of at least 3 dB is usually required to achieve a noticeable difference in signal strength at a remote receiver. A 3 db increase is equivalent to doubling the output power, which for the typical CB would mean an increase from 4 to 8 watts or from 5 to 10 watts. Besides putting the output above the legal output power for a CB, I doubt that many CBs could achieve that sort of increase merely by tweaking a few internal coils.
So that leaves the antenna design as perhaps a better way to achieve an effective increase in radiated power. There are two ways to see an increase in power via the antenna. The most common way is to use a "gain" antenna, which in practice usually means a physically longer antenna, or to use a directional antenna such as multi-element "beam" antenna. In either case the antenna has to be matched to the typical 50-ohm impedance of CB radio's antenna jack. The most efficient antenna for a mobile CB is a full quarter wavelength whip, which is approximately 8 feet long. Very few people want to use an antenna that long, so they use a shortened antenna where a coil makes up the difference in length and matches the 50-ohm output of the radio. However, the coil steals a certain percentage of the output power in order to match the impedance.
Final tuning a simple antenna such as those used for CB is done by increasing or decreasing the antenna length, usually in increments of a fraction of an inch, to match the optimum antenna length to the frequency used. Not all antennas are adjustable, and those that are usually have a small whip section that fits into a coil. The whip can be moved in or out a few fractions of an inch and locked into position with a set screw. This adjusts the standing wave ratio (SWR), which is the ratio of radiated vs reflected power. It's seldom possible to get the SWR of any antenna system down to less than 1.25 to 1 or so, and that is only at one frequency (or one channel in CB lingo). If the SWR is too high, say above 2.0 to 1, a large percentage of the transmitted output power is reflected back to the radio rather than radiated out into the airwaves, which results in excess heat and stress on the final amplifier transistor of the radio. In addition, there a small losses in power in the coax transmission line from the radio to the antenna as well. So in theory, a 5/8 wavelength antenna (probably the most popular CB antenna design) would achieve a gain of approximately 4.5 dB or so, making 5 watts output at the radio equal to 12 or 13 watts effective radiated power at a 1 to 1 SWR. However, in practice, due to inefficiencies in the antenna's matching coil and the coax feedline, plus a usually higher SWR, the true effective radiated power would be somewhat less -- but still above the 3 dB threshold for a noticeable improvement at a receiving station.
Also, "range" for a CB radio signal is affected by other factors such as propagation, but that's a topic for another discussion.
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. But, a properly tuned antenna will give you better range, both transmit and receive, than a bad antenna. Not to mention, your radio will like you better.
